When I first flew into Phoenix, over 30 years ago, I remember looking out of the plane window and thinking—argh, what a colorless, god-forsaken place this is! Keep in mind that I was transplanting myself from the lush, damp state of Louisiana to the arid Arizona desert.
Thankfully, I discovered how wrong I was. The desert is filled with color, life, and diversity. Enter Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park, the oldest, and largest botanical garden in Arizona.
From the trail
The arboretum, established in the 1920s, was a legacy of Col. Boyce Thompson, copper mining magnate, investor and philanthropist. It became a state park in 1976. The 323 acres feature desert plants and habitats from around the world, as well as captivating vistas, a desert lake, specialty gardens and a hidden canyon.
BTW, after our arboretum walk, we continued up highway 60 to Superior/Globe, passing some of the largest copper mines in the world. But, let's save that for another day.
Lake Ayer
The Canyon
MIner’s cabin